Rohit Sharma is currently seen as the front-runner to lead India in the Test format after Virat Kohli's sudden exit from the position. The 34-year-old Rohit, who has already taken over the mantle of white-ball captaincy from Kohli, will be leading the Indian camp in the upcoming home series against West Indies.
After his unceremonious farewell, the biggest challenge for Kohli the batter will be to maintain the same energy when he is playing as a player and not as the captain of India.
Former national selector Saba Karim has also shed light on the shift in leadership, saying Kohli has to put in extra efforts and build a rapport with the current leadership bunch comprising Rohit and head coach Rahul Dravid.
"Virat Kohli will need to make extra efforts. He must be having some regrets, I am sure, but time heals wounds. I think Virat is experienced enough and mature to deal with it. We should see it on the ground soon," said Karim on the Khelneeti podcast.
Karim, who represented India in 34 ODIs and one Test, also spoke about the relationship between Kohli & Rohit. Ahead of India's tour of South Africa, Kohli had dismissed speculations of a rift between him and Rohit, saying he has been clarifying the same for the past two years.
{{/usCountry}}Karim, who represented India in 34 ODIs and one Test, also spoke about the relationship between Kohli & Rohit. Ahead of India's tour of South Africa, Kohli had dismissed speculations of a rift between him and Rohit, saying he has been clarifying the same for the past two years.
{{/usCountry}}Karim urged Rohit to take "extra step" and explain his plan of attack to Kohli moving forward. He also asked the two Indian batting superstars to look at the bigger picture.
“Being captain, Rohit Sharma will need to take that extra step. He and Rahul Dravid will need to explain to Kohli the thought process and culture they want to bring in. They can seek inputs from Kohli over the same. At the end of the day, both Kohli and Rohit need to look at the big picture and think about the ultimate team goals.
“If both players are on the same page, things will become very easy. If issues crop up between them, the dressing room environment will go down quickly. So it is very important for both of them to work together," Karim further said.